Tokyo medalists hold Thanksgiving Mass in Tagaytay City

The Philippines' four medalists in the recently-concluded Tokyo Olympics held a Thanksgiving Mass on Wednesday at the Our Lady of St. Lourdes Parish in Tagaytay City, following a successful campaign at the Games.

Gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz of weightlifting led all Filipino athletes along with silver winners in boxers Nesthy Petecio and Carlo Paalam and bronze medalist Eumir Marcial.

“We wish to thank the Almighty for our success in the Tokyo Olympics. First and foremost, we look at the medals as gifts from God,” Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino said in a statement.

Cavite Bishop Reynaldo Evangelista officiated the Holy Mass that started at 11 a.m.

Only the medalists and their coaches and some POC and national sports association (NSAs) officials joined the ceremony due to travel restrictions under the ongoing enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).

The boxers and coaches arrived a day after the Tokyo Olympics closing ceremony on August 8 and served their mandatory quarantines at the Summit Ridge in Tagaytay and Hotel Sofitel in Pasay City.

Diaz also received a lifetime membership from the Tagaytay Highlands on top of all the incentives and bonuses she got after delivering the first Olympic gold medal to the country. — LA, GMA News